88.5 WFDD - Brexithttps://www.wfdd.org/tags/brexit
enThe Long, Uneasy Wait Is Over: Parties, Protests And Solemn Silence Greet Brexithttps://www.wfdd.org/story/long-uneasy-wait-over-parties-protests-and-solemn-silence-greet-brexit
<img typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" src="https://wfdd-live.s3.amazonaws.com/styles/slideshow/s3/images/story/The-Long-Uneasy-Wait-Is-Over-Parties-Protests-And-Solemn-Silence-Greet-Brexit-801690340-1580512521.jpg?itok=AsSdgIdb" width="1200" height="675" alt="Officials lower and remove the Union Jack from the European Parliament building in Brussels on Friday. As the U.K. prepared to bring to an end its decades-long membership in the European Union, the bloc&#039;s top officials on Friday pledged to continue playin" title="Officials lower and remove the Union Jack from the European Parliament building in Brussels on Friday. As the U.K. prepared to bring to an end its decades-long membership in the European Union, the bloc&#039;s top officials on Friday pledged to continue playin" /><figcaption class="figure-caption">
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<img typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" src="https://wfdd-live.s3.amazonaws.com/styles/slideshow/s3/images/slideshow/The-Long-Uneasy-Wait-Is-Over-Parties-Protests-And-Solemn-Silence-Greet-Brexit-801577948-1580512521.jpg?itok=sa908CNK" width="1200" height="675" alt="A Brexit supporter is decked out in London on Friday, hours before the U.K. was to leave the European Union. More than 3 1/2 years after the referendum that approved Brexit, Britain is parting ways with the 27 remaining members of the European bloc." title="A Brexit supporter is decked out in London on Friday, hours before the U.K. was to leave the European Union. More than 3 1/2 years after the referendum that approved Brexit, Britain is parting ways with the 27 remaining members of the European bloc." /><figcaption class="figure-caption">
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<img typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" src="https://wfdd-live.s3.amazonaws.com/styles/slideshow/s3/images/slideshow/The-Long-Uneasy-Wait-Is-Over-Parties-Protests-And-Solemn-Silence-Greet-Brexit-801579922-1580512521.jpg?itok=0OWpuSSE" width="1200" height="800" alt="In Edinburgh on Friday, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon laid out the case that Brexit&#039;s political ramifications justify another independence referendum for Scotland, more than five years after voters narrowly decided to remain in the U.K." title="In Edinburgh on Friday, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon laid out the case that Brexit&#039;s political ramifications justify another independence referendum for Scotland, more than five years after voters narrowly decided to remain in the U.K." /><figcaption class="figure-caption">
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<img typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" src="https://wfdd-live.s3.amazonaws.com/styles/slideshow/s3/images/slideshow/The-Long-Uneasy-Wait-Is-Over-Parties-Protests-And-Solemn-Silence-Greet-Brexit-801685483-1580512521.jpg?itok=OO3tQOzn" width="1200" height="675" alt="An official removes European Union flag from the British diplomatic post in Brussels on Friday." title="An official removes European Union flag from the British diplomatic post in Brussels on Friday." /><figcaption class="figure-caption">
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<img typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" src="https://wfdd-live.s3.amazonaws.com/styles/story-full/s3/images/story/The-Long-Uneasy-Wait-Is-Over-Parties-Protests-And-Solemn-Silence-Greet-Brexit-801690340-1580512521.jpg?itok=Eq5MesSV" width="800" height="450" alt="Officials lower and remove the Union Jack from the European Parliament building in Brussels on Friday. As the U.K. prepared to bring to an end its decades-long membership in the European Union, the bloc&#039;s top officials on Friday pledged to continue playin" title="Officials lower and remove the Union Jack from the European Parliament building in Brussels on Friday. As the U.K. prepared to bring to an end its decades-long membership in the European Union, the bloc&#039;s top officials on Friday pledged to continue playin" /><figcaption class="figure-caption">
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Officials lower and remove the Union Jack from the European Parliament building in Brussels on Friday. As the U.K. prepared to bring to an end its decades-long membership in the European Union, the bloc&#039;s top officials on Friday pledged to continue playin </div>
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Francisco Seco / AP </cite>
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<p><strong>Updated at 6 p.m. ET</strong></p><p>You'll be forgiven if you still don't quite believe it. </p><p>By this reporter's very rough tally, NPR has run <a href="https://www.npr.org/search?query=brexit&amp;page=21&amp;sortType=byDate">well over 1,000 pieces</a> about <a href="https://www.npr.org/tags/477687016/brexit">Brexit </a>-- both on air and online — since the U.K. shocked the world with its vote to leave the European Union more than <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/06/24/483327087/bbc-projects-united-kingdom-votes-to-leave-the-european-union">3 1/2 years ago</a>. And not one of those stories could responsibly utter this simple, definitive statement: Brexit is happening today.</p><p>Yet here we are, at long last. As of 11 p.m. GMT (6 p.m. ET) Friday, the U.K. has shoved off from the multinational bloc and its <a href="https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/countries_en">27 remaining member states</a> and, for the first time <a href="https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/history/1970-1979/1973_en">since 1973</a> (when it joined the predecessor European Economic Community), set off on its own — to a degree, at least. </p><p>As NPR's Frank Langfitt explained in this <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/01/31/801289239/brexit-day-what-to-know-when-the-u-k-leaves-the-eu">thorough primer</a>, the deadline does not immediately halt the flow of people and goods between the divorced parties. Instead, it ushers in a transitional period through the end of the year, during which time Britons will enjoy many of the same rights as they did before the deadline, while British and European representatives continue to hash out the details of a permanent trade deal that so far <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-vonderleyen/basically-impossible-to-agree-full-eu-uk-deal-by-year-end-eu-head-idUSKBN1Z71MQ">has eluded them</a>.</p><p>Still, for a journey this fraught and winding, Friday has offered a massive milestone — one that politicians and residents on both sides of the English Channel marked in myriad ways, ranging from consternation to celebration.</p><p>Observers know well which reaction to expect at No. 10 Downing St. It is there, at the British prime minister's residence in London, that Boris Johnson feted the U.K.'s departure with a party for his Cabinet and a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/borisjohnson/videos/2896575493718569/?__xts__[0]=68.ARB89qJpLfblCj_a7aY1KSQglvc6HwDg6k3-735H5I9aOuIXAmT9zV-sD7DCCa41mpNJsoU46JtDs60ykQfawzFrQzhWVCE9eTcPopvSaD0ZnCZlNHv6J7Q0IUYokckisCkijvjDfgwNIeqb3hgR1rpsotcxmK2nCDnFsDkQVEEeoeoVmPw-ngs8ypAaAD_xOkEL-2PMwvHye3N2rIVtUdAw0JCRd8BzbQzQ8vFHmwD9_b9qeqsR4Mhf_1TcrTj1SsmQN13qgFLiFradVZqMt-_-WdfZp9kiOlSUxviUKW89AhRkYJjCpXyPp0laxecUzUdyiA1OZcvd2ro50QB4Okd2VHXF7i8&amp;__tn__=-R">televised address</a> to his country.</p><p>"This is the moment when the dawn breaks and the curtain goes up on a new act," the prime minister said in his prepared remarks. "It is a moment of real national renewal and change."</p><p>Few have tied their political fortunes more closely to Brexit than Johnson, one of the <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2016/06/25/483414071/boris-johnson-londons-ex-mayor-could-be-britains-next-prime-minister">principal leaders</a> of the 2016 campaign to leave the EU. The prominent "Brexiteer" <a href="https://www.npr.org/2018/07/09/627254510/boris-johnson-resigns-from-u-k-s-foreign-secretary-post">resigned as foreign secretary</a> in 2018 to signal his disgust with the withdrawal agreement <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-words-following-chequers-6-july-2018">reached by</a> Prime Minister Theresa May and then replaced her after she <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/05/24/726784463/british-prime-minister-theresa-may-acknowledges-defeat-announces-resignation">stepped down</a>. </p><p>Johnson's early tenure was marked by a <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/09/10/759285001/u-k-parliament-recesses-as-boris-johnson-reels-from-string-of-defeats">string of defeats</a> as he tried to push for a departure, one way or another, but his attempts to <a href="https://time.com/5749478/get-brexit-done-slogan-uk-election/">"Get Brexit Done"</a> grew much easier with a <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/12/13/787705261/boris-johnson-and-conservative-party-win-large-majority-in-parliament">landslide victory</a> in last month's parliamentary elections.</p><p>Still, even as Brexit supporters gathered for <a href="https://twitter.com/JournoJess_/status/1223325797588533249">parties in London</a> and across the country, not everyone is cheering the prime minister's hard-won victory lap Friday — far from it, in fact. Hours before the deadline, throngs of pro-EU demonstrators gathered on Downing Street and near the Houses of Parliament in Westminster to register their objections to the coming divorce.</p><p>Farther north, in Edinburgh, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon laid out her own objections Friday — and made the case why those objections warrant a second independence referendum for Scotland, roughly 5 1/2 years after voters decided to remain in the U.K.</p><p>"We know that change is coming, but it does not have to be the change that Tories want to impose on Scotland. A new independence referendum will put the decision about the best path for Scotland into our own hands," she said. "And there is a cast-iron mandate from both the public and from Scottish Parliament for that referendum."</p><p>Just one day earlier in Edinburgh, Scottish lawmakers voted 64 to 54 to back a nonbinding call for a new independence referendum, saying that Brexit had so thoroughly changed the political landscape that voters deserve another ballot.</p><p>Ministers in London, though, remain unmoved. Earlier this month, a couple of weeks even before the vote in Scottish Parliament, Johnson's government<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-51106796"> rejected Sturgeon's proposal</a>, saying such a vote would merely "continue the political stagnation Scotland has seen for the past decade."</p><p>The Scottish first minister, in her speech Friday, acknowledged that the path forward for independence-minded Scots would not be easy.</p><p>"To achieve independence, a referendum, whenever it happens — whether it is this year as I want, or after the next Scottish election — must be legal and legitimate. That is a simple fact," she said. "It must demonstrate clearly that there is majority support for independence, and its legality must be beyond doubt. Otherwise the outcome, even if successful, would not be recognized by other countries."</p><p>As for those other countries, the reaction Friday's Brexit was guarded. In Europe, German Chancellor Angela Merkel called Brexit day a <a href="https://www.bundeskanzlerin.de/bkin-en/news/podcast-chancellor-merkel-1716710">"profound watershed moment"</a> and promised good-faith negotiations going forward, while French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking in Paris, described the U.K.'s departure as an <a href="https://www.elysee.fr/emmanuel-macron/2020/01/31/plus-que-jamais-nous-avons-besoin-deurope-message-du-president-emmanuel-macron-sur-le-brexit">"alarm signal"</a> that demands to be heard across the continent.</p><p>Macron reiterated his assertion that the 2016 "Leave" campaign was filled with "lies, exaggeration, simplifications and checks that were promised and that will never arrive" — but also said Brexit reflected that Europe can only progress with significant reforms.</p><p>Despite the lofty words of leaders on both sides of the divide that just deepen further, perhaps the most vivid moments of the day came without words entirely. The British diplomatic post in Brussels, the seat of the EU, quietly removed the bloc's flag at the close of the business day.</p><p>Elsewhere in Brussels, EU officials returned the symbolic gesture. A crowd gathered in somber silence outside the European Parliament building, where they watched as officials lowered the Union Jack — and raised the EU's circle of stars to <a href="https://twitter.com/NicolaRBartlett/status/1223329833456930822">take its spot</a> in the pantheon of members' flags. </p><div class="fullattribution">Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit <a href="https://www.npr.org">https://www.npr.org</a>.<img src="https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&amp;utmdt=The+Long%2C+Uneasy+Wait+Is+Over%3A+Parties%2C+Protests+And+Solemn+Silence+Greet+Brexit&amp;utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxODcyMTgzMDEyMTgxMTY5NjYxN2I4OQ004)" /></div> </div>
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</div> <!-- /.easy_social_box -->Fri, 31 Jan 2020 23:00:00 +0000
Colin Dwyer
157118 at https://www.wfdd.org
Colin Dwyer
Some 43 months after the U.K. voted to leave the European Union, the day of divorce has finally arrived. Supporters and critics alike had their say; but largely, a somber mood welcomed the milestone.NoNews, World, Europe, U.K., European Union, Boris Johnson, BrexitBrexit Day: What To Know When The U.K. Leaves The EUhttps://www.wfdd.org/story/brexit-day-what-know-when-uk-leaves-eu
<img typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" src="https://wfdd-live.s3.amazonaws.com/styles/slideshow/s3/images/story/Brexit-Day-What-To-Know-When-The-UK-Leaves-The-EU-801310832-1580486558.jpg?itok=KHuDEVYj" width="1200" height="773" alt="An anti-Brexit demonstrator holds British and European Union flags during a protest in front of the European Parliament in Brussels on Thursday." title="An anti-Brexit demonstrator holds British and European Union flags during a protest in front of the European Parliament in Brussels on Thursday." /><figcaption class="figure-caption">
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<img typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" src="https://wfdd-live.s3.amazonaws.com/styles/slideshow/s3/images/slideshow/Brexit-Day-What-To-Know-When-The-UK-Leaves-The-EU-801320079-1580486558.jpg?itok=zqaBDK9K" width="1200" height="799" alt="Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (left) meets with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at Downing Street in London on Thursday." title="Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (left) meets with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at Downing Street in London on Thursday." /><figcaption class="figure-caption">
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<img typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" src="https://wfdd-live.s3.amazonaws.com/styles/story-full/s3/images/story/Brexit-Day-What-To-Know-When-The-UK-Leaves-The-EU-801310832-1580486558.jpg?itok=W1r4dgOK" width="800" height="516" alt="An anti-Brexit demonstrator holds British and European Union flags during a protest in front of the European Parliament in Brussels on Thursday." title="An anti-Brexit demonstrator holds British and European Union flags during a protest in front of the European Parliament in Brussels on Thursday." /><figcaption class="figure-caption">
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An anti-Brexit demonstrator holds British and European Union flags during a protest in front of the European Parliament in Brussels on Thursday. </div>
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Francois Lenoir / Reuters </cite>
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<p>More than 3 1/2 years after the landmark Brexit referendum, the United Kingdom will finally leave the European Union at 11 p.m. GMT on Friday.</p><p>That means Britain will exit the bloc of 27 remaining countries and will begin to forge its own way in the world, but there's a transition period before the U.K. cuts itself off entirely.</p><p>The U.K. has been a member of the EU since 1973. Leaving is one of the biggest, riskiest and most divisive steps the country has taken in decades.</p><p>Here are some of the ways Brexit is expected to play out in the near term.</p><p><strong>What happens at 11:01 on Friday night. Does trade stop? Do EU citizens living in the U.K. and Brits in the EU have to head back to their respective countries?</strong></p><p>No. The U.K. and the European Union will immediately enter a transition period until the end of this year, during which the free movement of people and trade between them will continue as before. There is no expectation of long lines at ports on the English Channel. Britons will no longer be EU citizens, but they will still broadly enjoy the same rights they do now. The U.K. will keep paying into the EU budget during this transition period, but British lawmakers will no longer sit in the European Parliament or help shape EU rules. Next month, British and EU negotiators will begin trying to hammer out a free trade deal to take effect when the transition ends on Dec. 31.</p><p><strong>Brexit took a long time. How long will it take for the U.K. to reach a free trade deal with the EU? </strong></p><p>British Prime Minister Boris Johnson insists he can get a deal in the next 11 months, but the EU and trade experts are <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-vonderleyen/basically-impossible-to-agree-full-eu-uk-deal-by-year-end-eu-head-idUSKBN1Z71MQ">deeply skeptical</a>, given the complexity of such trade negotiations.</p><p>There are several scenarios. If the U.K. can't reach a deal, it could crash out of the EU at the end of this year. Trade would default to <a href="https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/reser_e/tariff_profiles_e.htm">World Trade Organization terms</a>, which would <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-45112872">place tariffs on some goods</a> and cause pain for the British and, to a lesser extent, the EU economies. Johnson could ask to extend the transition period, but he would face opposition within his Conservative Party. He has also vowed never to request an extension again.</p><p>It's important to remember that the Brexit process does not end on Friday night. Most analysts say that negotiating a new relationship with the EU will be much harder than leaving it.</p><p><strong>What might a U.K.-EU trade deal look like? </strong></p><p>This is a huge question, and the answer could have a significant impact on the British economy. U.K. treasury chief Sajid Javid has said that there will be no alignment between British and EU regulations in their new relationship, which economists say would create trade barriers and raise costs, potentially hurting the U.K.'s agriculture and auto sectors, among others. Consider this: Many foreign manufacturers built plants in the U.K. to take advantage of its free trade with the EU. If the country's exports to the EU face tariffs in the future, that might reduce the incentive for foreign companies to invest in the United Kingdom.</p><p>The British economy has proved more resilient since the 2016 Brexit vote than many economists expected, but it faces big challenges. The British pound has still not recovered from its sharp drop in value after Britain voted to leave the EU. Unemployment is low, but so is economic growth.</p><p>"The fact is that we're hardly growing at all now," said Jonathan Portes, an economics professor at King's College London, who cited troubles with the global and European economies as well as Brexit uncertainty. Portes added that the risks of a recession are "high."</p><p><strong>What does Brexit mean for the U.K.'s special relationship with the U.S.?</strong></p><p>Without the leverage that comes from trading as part of a much larger market like the EU, the United Kingdom is anxious to negotiate a good trade deal quickly with the world's largest economy, the United States. President Trump supports Brexit; he criticizes multilateral institutions like the EU. On Thursday in London, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-mike-pompeo-says-brexit-is-fantastic-for-america-2020-1">said that leaving the EU</a> would free up the U.K. and allow it to reduce transaction costs with the United States. Both Pompeo and U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said they thought a deal could be done this year, but trade experts remain skeptical.</p><p>Aside from being a longtime ally with shared democratic values, the U.K. has been attractive to the U.S. because it could help America with its agenda in Europe. Once Britain is outside the EU, its influence and therefore its usefulness to Washington are expected to decline.</p><p><strong>Brexit strained ties within the United Kingdom. What is the future of Scotland and Northern Ireland? </strong></p><p>Scotland voted to stay in the EU, and many there are angry that the U.K. leadership, from their perspective, is dragging them out against their will. Brexit has accelerated discussions in Scotland about breaking away from the U.K. — including the <a href="https://www.euronews.com/2020/01/29/scottish-parliament-votes-to-hold-new-independence-referendum">Scottish Parliament's vote this week</a> to hold a new independence referendum. A binding referendum would need the central U.K. government's approval, which Johnson says he won't grant. But if the pro-independence Scottish National Party has a strong showing in next year's Scottish parliamentary elections, independence supporters will press their case even harder.</p><p>Brexit has also accelerated talk of an eventual vote on the reunification of the island of Ireland. Although the Republic of Ireland is staying in the EU, Northern Ireland is leaving the EU with the rest of the United Kingdom. The Brexit withdrawal agreement requires customs checks between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which has infuriated many in Northern Ireland who support remaining a part of the United Kingdom. That said, there are many barriers to Ireland's reunification, including the cost to the Republic of Ireland of absorbing the considerably poorer north. Any change to the status quo is likely many years away.</p><p><strong>What are the main lessons from this long Brexit ordeal?</strong></p><p>The Brexit vote is part of a much larger trend in parts of the West that values national sovereignty and independence over political and economic integration. Simply put, it's a backlash against a long-running trend toward globalization.</p><p>British politicians learned that taking a question as complex as membership in the EU to a public referendum is very risky. The British people have found that unraveling decades of relations with the European Union is far more fraught than anyone imagined. Finally, some Britons have discovered — after years of domestic political chaos and the U.K.'s failure to have its way with Brussels — that their country is nowhere near as politically powerful or as influential as they thought. </p><div class="fullattribution">Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit <a href="https://www.npr.org">https://www.npr.org</a>.<img src="https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&amp;utmdt=Brexit+Day%3A+What+To+Know+When+The+U.K.+Leaves+The+EU&amp;utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxODcyMTgzMDEyMTgxMTY5NjYxN2I4OQ004)" /></div> </div>
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</div> <!-- /.easy_social_box -->Fri, 31 Jan 2020 15:51:00 +0000
Frank Langfitt
157046 at https://www.wfdd.org
Frank Langfitt
On Friday night, Britain will end its more than 40-year membership in the European Union. Here are some of the ways Brexit is expected to play out.NoNews, World, Europe, United Kingdom, U.K., Britain, BrexitU.K. Election: Voters Hope To Decide Brexit's Fate And Their Country's Futurehttps://www.wfdd.org/story/uk-election-voters-hope-decide-brexits-fate-and-their-countrys-future
<img typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" src="https://wfdd-live.s3.amazonaws.com/styles/slideshow/s3/images/story/UK-Election-Voters-Hope-To-Decide-Brexits-Fate-And-Their-Countrys-Future-786769316-1576094429.jpg?itok=zUC0A9Ea" width="1200" height="799" alt="Britain&#039;s Prime Minister Boris Johnson gets off his election campaign bus — emblazoned with the slogan &quot;Get Brexit Done&quot; — to visit Washington, England, on Monday. Britain goes to the polls on Thursday." title="Britain&#039;s Prime Minister Boris Johnson gets off his election campaign bus — emblazoned with the slogan &quot;Get Brexit Done&quot; — to visit Washington, England, on Monday. Britain goes to the polls on Thursday." /><figcaption class="figure-caption">
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<img typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" src="https://wfdd-live.s3.amazonaws.com/styles/slideshow/s3/images/slideshow/UK-Election-Voters-Hope-To-Decide-Brexits-Fate-And-Their-Countrys-Future-786765412-1576094429.jpg?itok=hvOCyEHd" width="1200" height="900" alt="Britain&#039;s Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has refused to take a side on Brexit." title="Britain&#039;s Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has refused to take a side on Brexit." /><figcaption class="figure-caption">
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<img typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" src="https://wfdd-live.s3.amazonaws.com/styles/slideshow/s3/images/slideshow/UK-Election-Voters-Hope-To-Decide-Brexits-Fate-And-Their-Countrys-Future-786762438-1576094429.jpg?itok=XHtiWX7n" width="1200" height="799" alt="A Scottish National Party campaign bus — emblazoned with the slogans &quot;Stop Brexit&quot; and &quot;Stronger for Scotland&quot; — travels along the Glencoe Pass in the Highlands during a tour of Scotland on Monday." title="A Scottish National Party campaign bus — emblazoned with the slogans &quot;Stop Brexit&quot; and &quot;Stronger for Scotland&quot; — travels along the Glencoe Pass in the Highlands during a tour of Scotland on Monday." /><figcaption class="figure-caption">
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<img typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" src="https://wfdd-live.s3.amazonaws.com/styles/story-full/s3/images/story/UK-Election-Voters-Hope-To-Decide-Brexits-Fate-And-Their-Countrys-Future-786769316-1576094429.jpg?itok=kt3hq3b_" width="800" height="533" alt="Britain&#039;s Prime Minister Boris Johnson gets off his election campaign bus — emblazoned with the slogan &quot;Get Brexit Done&quot; — to visit Washington, England, on Monday. Britain goes to the polls on Thursday." title="Britain&#039;s Prime Minister Boris Johnson gets off his election campaign bus — emblazoned with the slogan &quot;Get Brexit Done&quot; — to visit Washington, England, on Monday. Britain goes to the polls on Thursday." /><figcaption class="figure-caption">
<div class="field-caption">
Britain&#039;s Prime Minister Boris Johnson gets off his election campaign bus — emblazoned with the slogan &quot;Get Brexit Done&quot; — to visit Washington, England, on Monday. Britain goes to the polls on Thursday. </div>
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Ben Stansall / AP </cite>
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<p>Voters in the United Kingdom head to the polls Thursday for a crucial election that could determine the country's future, and how and when it will break off from the European Union.</p><p>This will be the fifth major vote in the country in less than five years — including two previous general elections, European Parliament elections and the Brexit referendum — a sign of how chaotic British politics have become. </p><p>The stakes are high, voters are weary and the two main candidates for prime minister are especially polarizing.</p><p>Here are some key details to understand before Thursday's vote.</p><p><strong>Why is the U.K. having yet </strong><strong><em>another </em></strong><strong>election?</strong></p><p>Because after more than three years, the government hasn't resolved Brexit, its biggest challenge in decades. This all started in 2016 when voters stunned the world and <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/06/24/483327087/bbc-projects-united-kingdom-votes-to-leave-the-european-union">voted to leave the EU</a>. The Brexit vote split the nation and paralyzed Parliament. After becoming prime minister this summer, Boris Johnson tried and failed to pass his Brexit withdrawal agreement. So he called a snap election to try to win a majority in Parliament to get his Brexit deal through. Johnson's predecessor, Theresa May, who had <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/06/08/532039935/u-k-election-arrives-after-may-sees-lead-over-corbyn-shrink">also called an early election</a>, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2018/11/17/668765492/heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-brexit-after-a-tumultuous-week-in-the-u-k">tried to get her withdrawal deal</a> approved three times this year but failed. If he can win parliamentary approval, Johnson hopes to take the U.K. out of the EU by the end of January.</p><p><strong>What is the biggest issue and where do the parties stand?</strong></p><p>The answer, as always, is Brexit. Johnson is running on the slogan "Get Brexit Done." He argues that only his Conservative Party, which engineered the Brexit referendum in 2016, can deliver on what he calls the will of the people.</p><p>Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the opposition Labour Party, the second largest in Parliament, has refused to take a side on Brexit. Corbyn says he will renegotiate a withdrawal agreement with the EU and then hold another referendum where Britons can vote for his deal or to stay in the EU.</p><p>The Liberal Democrats, the fourth-largest party in Parliament, are running on a platform to stop Brexit and keep the country in the EU. </p><p>The third-largest party, the Scottish National Party, strongly opposes Brexit as well (more on Scotland below).</p><p><strong>Are the candidates talking about other issues?</strong></p><p>Yes. One big issue is revitalizing the National Health Service, which provides free health care.<strong> </strong>Britons are very <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2018/03/07/591128836/u-k-hospitals-are-overburdened-but-the-british-love-their-universal-health-care">proud of the NHS</a>, but it suffers from low morale, underfunding and staff shortages. Corbyn points out that the decline of the health service has occurred during nearly a decade of Conservative rule.</p><p>In addition to that, both the Conservatives and Labour want to end the government's austerity policy. In the wake of the global financial crisis a decade ago, the central government slashed funding and many local communities suffered. Anger toward those cuts helped fuel the Brexit vote, which in many respects was a protest against the political establishment in London.</p><p><strong>Who is running for prime minister?</strong></p><p>The only two with a realistic shot are the incumbent Johnson and, to a much lesser extent, Labour's Corbyn. Neither, though, is popular. Polls conducted by the survey firm YouGov found that<a href="https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/explore/public_figure/Boris_Johnson"> 47% of respondents</a> have a negative view of Johnson and<a href="https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/explore/public_figure/Jeremy_Corbyn"> 61% have a negative view</a> of Corbyn.</p><p>Johnson's critics see him as political animal who habitually lies. During the Brexit campaign, Johnson rode in a campaign bus with a sign claiming that if the U.K. left the EU it would have the equivalent of an additional<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jan/15/leave-campaigns-350m-claim-was-too-low-says-boris-johnson"> $460 million a week</a> to spend on public health care, which wasn't true.</p><p>Earlier in his career, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/07/04/738228904/he-s-a-flawed-character-and-they-do-not-care-the-rise-of-u-k-s-boris-johnson">Johnson lost two jobs</a> for lying. The Conservative Party fired him as vice chairman in 2004 after he lied about an affair and <em>The Times</em> of London fired him in 1988 when he was a journalist for making up a quote.</p><p>Corbyn's critics see him as an ineffectual leader with socialist policies that make many voters anxious. Corbyn's agenda, which he calls "radical," includes renationalizing Britain's rail, mail and energy sectors, scrapping university tuition fees and building 150,000 low-income housing units a year. Some voters are also unsettled by Corbyn's past policy positions, such as refusing specifically to denounce the <a href="https://www.channel4.com/news/factcheck/factcheck-corbyn-on-northern-ireland">Irish Republican Army</a> and voting against<a href="https://www.channel4.com/news/factcheck/factcheck-qa-questions-remain-on-labours-nuclear-weapons-policy"> renewing Trident</a>, Britain's submarine-based nuclear missile system.</p><p>There are other problems. The U.K.'s chief rabbi has accused Corbyn of failing to address anti-Semitism, <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ephraim-mirvis-what-will-become-of-jews-in-britain-if-labour-forms-the-next-government-ghpsdbljk">writing in The Times last month</a> that a "new poison — sanctioned from the top — has taken root in the Labour Party."</p><p>Jewish leaders say Corbyn was slow to punish party members for posting anti-Semitic comments online. Earlier this month, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/video/2019/dec/03/jeremy-corbyn-on-antisemitism-in-labour-obviously-im-very-sorry-video">Corbyn told ITV</a>, "obviously, I'm very sorry for everything that's happened, but I want to make this clear, I'm dealing with it."</p><p><strong>Where does Scotland figure in this election?</strong></p><p>Nicola Sturgeon, leader of the Scottish National Party, is<a href="https://stv.tv/news/politics/1442737-stv-poll-snp-heading-for-landslide-of-scottish-seats/"> urging voters to back</a> her party so it can push for a <a href="https://www.snp.org/policies/pb-will-there-be-another-independence-referendum/">second referendum on Scottish independence</a>. Scotland voted against Brexit, and Sturgeon argues that Scotland is better off outside the U.K. and inside the EU.</p><p>"A Boris Johnson government taking Scotland out of the European Union against our will with all of the damage that will do is a real and present danger to Scotland's future prosperity,"<a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/12/06/785705739/elections-on-the-future-of-brexit-bring-refreshed-talk-of-scottish-independence"> she said</a> at a recent campaign event in Glasgow.</p><p>Political analysts say any push for Scottish independence has a ways to go. In the 2014 referendum, independence was defeated by 10 percentage points. Johnson has said he won't support a second referendum. An<a href="https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/scotland-voting-intention-snp-pole-position-run-election"> Ipsos Mori poll</a> last month found voters in Scotland evenly split on the issue.</p><p><strong>What stakes does the U.S. have in this election, if any?</strong></p><p>President Trump is an ardent Brexit supporter. He doesn't like multilateral institutions such as the EU and thinks the U.S. does much better in one-on-one trade negotiations, where it has more leverage with individual countries. The Johnson government is <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2019/08/londons-falling-and-us-trade-deal-wont-save-it/595753/">eager to strike a new free-trade deal</a> with the U.S.</p><p>Trump has said kind things about Johnson, who, like the American president, is a populist politician who says things the left and minorities often find offensive. In the past, Trump, who is very unpopular in the U.K., has <a href="https://www.npr.org/2018/07/13/628758234/trump-may-press-conference-covers-british-tabloid-story-boris-johnson">opined on British elections</a>. When he was here last week for the NATO summit, he was much more circumspect after Johnson <a href="https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/general-election-2019-boris-johnson-donald-trump-visit-intervention-brexit-1328548">publicly asked him</a> not to intervene.</p><p>The U.K. is a staunch ally of the U.S. It is in America's interest that British politics stabilize after 3 1/2 years of upheaval.</p><p><strong>What's the likely outcome of Thursday's election?</strong></p><p>Johnson's <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-interactive/2019/dec/08/election-polls-uk-2019-latest-opinion-poll-tracker-tories-labour">Conservative Party is leading</a> by about 10 percentage points in recent polls.</p><p>This is striking considering the Conservatives pushed for the Brexit vote and have presided over the ensuing chaos.</p><p>That said, Johnson has a clear election message that is resonating not only with Brexit voters, but also with some who voted to stay in the EU and have become exhausted with the process and want it to end.</p><p>The Conservatives have 298 seats in the House of Commons and need to pick up another 28 on Thursday to win a majority. Given the polls and dynamics of the race, most analysts expect a solid Conservative victory. </p><p>However, the British electorate is volatile and unpredictable after more than three years of Brexit strife, and the results of the 2016 Brexit referendum and the 2017 general election were both surprises. </p><div class="fullattribution">Copyright 2019 NPR. To see more, visit <a href="https://www.npr.org">https://www.npr.org</a>.<img src="https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&amp;utmdt=U.K.+Election%3A+Voters+Hope+To+Decide+Brexit%27s+Fate+And+Their+Country%27s+Future&amp;utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxODcyMTgzMDEyMTgxMTY5NjYxN2I4OQ004)" /></div> </div>
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</div> <!-- /.easy_social_box -->Wed, 11 Dec 2019 19:47:00 +0000
Frank Langfitt
153986 at https://www.wfdd.org
Frank Langfitt
It will be the third general election since 2015. The stakes are high, voters are weary and the two main candidates for prime minister are polarizing.Noelections, News, World, Europe, Great Britain, United Kingdom, Scotland, U.K. elections, Boris Johnson, Brexit, Jeremy Corbyn, U.K. politicsAs Brexit Pulls Britain Apart, It Could Bring Ireland Back Togetherhttps://www.wfdd.org/story/brexit-pulls-britain-apart-it-could-bring-ireland-back-together
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<p></p><div class="fullattribution">Copyright 2019 NPR. To see more, visit <a href="https://www.npr.org">https://www.npr.org</a>.<img src="https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&amp;utmdt=As+Brexit+Pulls+Britain+Apart%2C+It+Could+Bring+Ireland+Back+Together&amp;utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxODcyMTgzMDEyMTgxMTY5NjYxN2I4OQ004)" /></div> </div>
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</div> <!-- /.easy_social_box -->Fri, 29 Nov 2019 10:10:00 +0000
Frank Langfitt
153203 at https://www.wfdd.org
Frank Langfitt
The latest proposed Brexit deal is deeply unpopular in Northern Ireland, where it will require a new customs border between the island and the rest of Great Britain. That could mean tariffs.NoWorld, Europe, Northern Ireland, Ireland, BrexitBritain Braces For New Vote In December That Could Ease The Path To Brexithttps://www.wfdd.org/story/britain-braces-new-vote-december-could-ease-path-brexit
<img typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" src="https://wfdd-live.s3.amazonaws.com/styles/story-full/s3/images/story/Britain-Braces-For-New-Vote-In-December-That-Could-Ease-The-Path-To-Brexit-774580023-1572393623.jpg?itok=Zcy69bil" width="800" height="600" alt="Britain&#039;s Prime Minister Boris Johnson talks during the debate on the Early Parliamentary General Election Bill in the House of Commons, London, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019." title="Britain&#039;s Prime Minister Boris Johnson talks during the debate on the Early Parliamentary General Election Bill in the House of Commons, London, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019." /><figcaption class="figure-caption">
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Britain&#039;s Prime Minister Boris Johnson talks during the debate on the Early Parliamentary General Election Bill in the House of Commons, London, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019. </div>
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UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor / AP </cite>
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<p>Still in turmoil over if, when or how to leave the European Union, Britain will go back to the polls on Dec. 12 to elect a new Parliament that may, or may not, be able to settle on a Brexit plan.</p><p>Prime Minister Boris Johnson won support for a snap election Tuesday when the House of Commons <a href="https://twitter.com/HouseofCommons/status/1189277443124879362">voted 438-20</a> to dissolve Parliament and launch a six-week election campaign that will compete with Christmas for the attention of a divided and Brexit-exhausted electorate.</p><p>The vote came after the opposition Labour Party agreed to the plan for a vote in elections moved up from 2022.</p><p>The bill is expected to be approved in the House of Lords. This comes after the <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/10/28/774031088/rain-chexit-european-union-grants-brexit-delay-to-u-k-again">EU granted the British government's request</a> to delay Brexit for three months beyond its scheduled Oct. 31 date.</p><p>"There is only one way to get Brexit done in the face of this unrelenting parliamentary obstructionism, this endless willful fingers crossed 'not me, guv' refusal to deliver on the mandate of the people," Johnson <a href="https://apnews.com/5ff4178638ac407c8dfe5597f81b6c36">said </a>on Tuesday, "and that is to refresh this Parliament."</p><p>The prime minister later appeared to downplay his party's prospects for the December vote.</p><p>"It's going to be a tough election but we will do the best we can," Johnson <a href="https://twitter.com/REWearmouth/status/1189282586469818369">told</a> reporters, even though a <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50221885">BBC poll</a> gives Johnson's Conservatives a 10 percentage point lead over Labour.</p><p>Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who originally opposed a snap election, said that his party dropped its opposition after a "no-deal" Brexit — essentially leaving the EU without conditions — was taken off the table.</p><p>"We're launching the most ambitious and radical campaign for real change our country has ever seen," Corbyn <a href="https://twitter.com/jeremycorbyn/status/1189142810974404609">tweeted</a>. "This is a once in a generation chance to build a country for the many, not the few."</p><p>The last time Britain held an election in December was 1923. It will also be the country's third general election in less than five years.</p><p>It is not all clear that the December election will settle the Brexit question. Johnson and the Conservatives would need to win a majority in Parliament to implement a Brexit plan by the EU's deadline of Jan. 31, 2020. British voters could also deliver a Parliament that is still gridlocked on the issue. </p><div class="fullattribution">Copyright 2019 NPR. To see more, visit <a href="https://www.npr.org">https://www.npr.org</a>.<img src="https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&amp;utmdt=Britain+Braces+For+New+Vote+In+December+That+Could+Ease+The+Path+To+Brexit&amp;utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxODcyMTgzMDEyMTgxMTY5NjYxN2I4OQ004)" /></div> </div>
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</div> <!-- /.easy_social_box -->Tue, 29 Oct 2019 23:49:00 +0000
Richard Gonzales
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Richard Gonzales
Prime Minister Boris Johnson sought an early general election in the hope of gaining ground in Parliament in support of the question that has roiled British politics since 2016: leaving the EU.NoNews, World, Europe, Brexit, Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, British Prime Minister Boris JohnsonRain Chexit: European Union Grants Brexit Delay To U.K. — Againhttps://www.wfdd.org/story/rain-chexit-european-union-grants-brexit-delay-uk-%E2%80%94-again
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A European Union flag flies Monday outside the Parliament building in London. The multinational bloc has agreed to grant the U.K. another Brexit delay, bumping the deadline to the end of January. </div>
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Kirsty Wigglesworth / AP </cite>
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<p><strong>Updated at 4:08 p.m. ET</strong></p><p>The divorce has been deferred once more.</p><p>Days before the U.K.'s Oct. 31 deadline to leave the European Union, the multinational bloc agreed to Britain's request on Monday to postpone the departure another three months.</p><p>With the announcement came another incongruously delightful portmanteau: European Council President Donald Tusk <a href="https://twitter.com/eucopresident/status/1188748108764721152">said Monday</a> that the other 27 countries in the EU tentatively signed off on a Brexit "flextension," a flexible extension — natch — that will allow the U.K. to remain in the bloc through Jan. 31 or leave earlier if it reaches an agreement before then.</p><p>"This gives time for the UK to make clear what it wants," European Parliament President David Sassoli said <a href="https://twitter.com/EP_President/status/1188770607539855360">somewhat hopefully</a>.</p><p>Short of a significant shift in momentum, however, the recent political turmoil in London has offered little indication that an easy solution is on the horizon.</p><p>Since Boris Johnson took office as prime minister in July, he has been at loggerheads with lawmakers wary of his aggressive approach to Brexit. Johnson's bid to suspend Parliament for five weeks <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/09/24/763687020/uk-supreme-court-rules-johnsons-suspension-of-parliament-was-unlawful">unraveled in court</a>, his attempts to call snap elections initially <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/09/04/757587543/brexit-parliament-members-vote-to-block-johnsons-no-deal-exit">failed to gain traction</a> and many of his fellow Conservatives broke ranks to approve a bill <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/09/10/759285001/u-k-parliament-recesses-as-boris-johnson-reels-from-string-of-defeats">blocking him</a> from letting the U.K. leave the EU without a deal — despite Johnson's own claim that he'd rather be "dead in a ditch" than seek another delay.</p><p>The U.K. <a href="https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CBP-7960">had been scheduled</a> to leave the EU on March 29 of this year, until the bloc granted a <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/03/20/705198952/on-the-brink-of-brexit-pm-theresa-may-pushes-for-extension-with-eu-support">request to postpone</a> that was put forth by Johnson's predecessor, Theresa May. On Oct. 19, Johnson asked for another extension, as he was required to do by the new law.</p><p>"Relieved that finally no one died in a ditch," Guy Verhofstadt, a Belgian member of European Parliament and Brexit negotiator for the EU, <a href="https://twitter.com/guyverhofstadt/status/1188777686539345922">said Monday</a> in a tongue-in-cheek tweet. "Whether the UK's democratic choice is revoke or an orderly withdraw, confirmed or not in a second referendum, the uncertainty of Brexit has gone on for far too long. This extra time must deliver a way forward."</p><p>One way forward may very well run through the British ballot box.</p><p>While Johnson's attempt to call snap elections foundered last month amid resistance from opposition lawmakers in the Labour Party, Parliament did pass the "second reading" of his <a href="https://www.pscp.tv/EU_Commission/1zqKVEzgLapxB">new deal</a> with the EU. But it demanded more time to consider the legislation.</p><p>On Monday, just hours after the EU's extension announcement, Parliament rejected Johnson's third call for early elections. But prospects are looking up for him if he should decide to pursue them for a fourth time, as he vowed to do Wednesday.</p><p>That's because this time, unlike his past attempts, he would take a different approach that would require only a simple majority vote in Parliament — and this route appears to have the backing of the Scottish National Party and Liberal Democrats, two smaller parties that have so far sided with Labour.</p><p>The SNP's leader in Parliament, Ian Blackford, who tweeted a <a href="https://twitter.com/IanBlackfordMP/status/1188761933983485952">statement of support</a> Monday, said in the House of Commons that his party would back new elections, though with a few caveats.</p><p>"We don't trust this prime minister, and we don't trust this prime minister for good reason," Blackford said. "So the prime minister, if he is going to bring forward a bill, must give an absolute cast-iron assurance that — up until the passage of that bill and the rising of Parliament — that there will be no attempt to bring forward the withdrawal agreement bill."</p><p>The Liberal Democrats have also <a href="https://twitter.com/joswinson/status/1188371641535008768">proposed holding</a> a new vote on Dec. 9.</p><p>The two parties, along with Johnson's Conservatives, hope that new elections can break the deadlock in Parliament that has so far derailed every attempt to reach a Brexit deal. Labour leaders, meanwhile, have professed the same hope — but have said they <a href="https://twitter.com/jeremycorbyn/status/1188742816022839296">will not</a> back new elections until they are sure that "No-Deal [Brexit] is off the table." </p><div class="fullattribution">Copyright 2019 NPR. To see more, visit <a href="https://www.npr.org">https://www.npr.org</a>.<img src="https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&amp;utmdt=Rain+Chexit%3A+European+Union+Grants+Brexit+Delay+To+U.K.+%E2%80%94+Again&amp;utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxODcyMTgzMDEyMTgxMTY5NjYxN2I4OQ004)" /></div> </div>
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</div> <!-- /.easy_social_box -->Mon, 28 Oct 2019 20:08:00 +0000
Colin Dwyer
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Colin Dwyer
Days before the Oct. 31 deadline to leave the EU, the bloc signed off on a British request to postpone it again. With the deadline reset to Jan. 31, the U.K. appears little closer to a clean exit.NoNews, World, Europe, U.K., European Union, BrexitU.K. Parliament Votes To Delay Vote On Johnson's Breakthrough Brexit Planhttps://www.wfdd.org/story/uk-parliament-votes-delay-vote-johnsons-breakthrough-brexit-plan
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<img typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" src="https://wfdd-live.s3.amazonaws.com/styles/story-full/s3/images/story/UK-Parliament-Votes-To-Delay-Vote-On-Johnsons-Breakthrough-Brexit-Plan-771563831-1571533212.jpg?itok=m2oEHHgG" width="800" height="600" alt="British Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves No. 10 Downing St. to go to the Houses of Parliament in London on Saturday." title="British Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves No. 10 Downing St. to go to the Houses of Parliament in London on Saturday." /><figcaption class="figure-caption">
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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves No. 10 Downing St. to go to the Houses of Parliament in London on Saturday. </div>
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<p><strong>Updated at 8:45 p.m. ET</strong></p><p>The British Parliament delayed a vote on a Brexit deal by three months Saturday, another defeat for Prime Minister Boris Johnson amid what had appeared to have been a breakthrough in negotiations between the European Union and the United Kingdom. </p><p>As demonstrators marched through the streets of London calling for a second referendum, Parliament met for a rare Saturday session to vote on Johnson's new agreement. The session was supposed to be a straight up-and-down vote, but an amendment put forth by former Conservative Oliver Letwin and approved by Parliament delayed the vote by three months. </p><p>The amendment puts the brakes on an immediate vote on Johnson's plan, instead requiring Parliament to pass the legislation needed to implement his plan before the vote. This opens up the possibility of the plan being altered in the three-month span, with continued debate and amendments that would not have been possible with an immediate up-and-down vote.</p><p>Although Johnson has said he would rather be "dead in a ditch" than seek a Brexit extension, he appeared to begrudgingly follow through with the approved amendment on Saturday in a series of conflicting letters to European Union leaders. </p><p>Johnson sent an unsigned letter to the EU requesting an extension of the Brexit deadline.</p><p>European Council President <a href="https://twitter.com/eucopresident/status/1185661904427143171?s=20">Donald Tusk tweeted</a>, "The extension request has just arrived. I will now start consulting EU leaders on how to react."</p><p>But that letter was <a href="https://twitter.com/MehreenKhn/status/1185666939869388800">reportedly accompanied </a>by a separate, signed letter expressing his disagreement with an extension.</p><p>In that letter, Johnson wrote to Tusk that "a further extension would damage the interests of the UK and our EU partners, and the relationship between us."</p><p>Tusk and the heads of state and government will have to approve the delay request unanimously. They will meet Sunday morning to discuss Saturday's vote in Britain.</p><p>For now, the U.K. is still scheduled to leave the EU on Oct. 31. </p><p>In early September, Queen Elizabeth II granted Johnson's request to suspend Parliament for five weeks after it refused to hold a snap election, limiting the body's ability to intervene and stop a no-deal Brexit. That move was later declared illegal by the U.K. Supreme Court, furthering the tension and resentment in Parliament. </p><p>Before Saturday's vote, Johnson appealed to the unity of a country that has been divided on the issue for three years and a parliament that voted down former Prime Minister Theresa May's deal three times.</p><p>"Now is the time for this great House of Commons to come together and bring the country together today, as I believe people at home are hoping and expecting," Johnson said. </p><p>His Conservative Party does not have a majority, which required him to reach across the aisle on Saturday to opposition lawmakers in the Independence and Labor parties. Although Johnson did have some momentum on his side after the deal was announced, the Letwin Amendment was approved 322 to 306. </p><p>Johnson's plan had the approval of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, who called it a "fair and balanced agreement" that avoided the "need for any kind of prolongation," in a <a href="https://www.pscp.tv/EU_Commission/1zqKVEzgLapxB">joint press conference</a> on Thursday. </p><p>NPR's London correspondent Frank Langfitt spoke with <em>Weekend Edition </em>about the differences between Johnson's plan and former Prime Minster Theresa May's previous attempts. </p><p>"I think the deal is different in that he got some concessions out of the European Union, so that the U.K. would not always be stuck in a long-term customs relationship with the EU," Langfitt said. "People were afraid that could last forever."</p><p>"The other difference is that Prime Minister Johnson is much more charismatic and much more persuasive than Theresa May was."</p><p>The protests outside of the House of Commons could not be ignored Saturday, highlighting the divide of opinion over the country's relationship with the EU and over how the original Brexit referendum in 2016 was handled. </p><p>"Frankly, there's Brexit fatigue here. People are tired of this, and there's also a concern that if they don't get this done, they'll crash out of the EU." </p><p>Of great discussion regarding the implementation of Brexit is the status of a customs border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland.</p><p>On Twitter, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar condemned the Letwin Amendment, saying that Johnson's plan "defends Ireland's interests." </p><p><em>Alexander Tuerk (@tuerk_alexander) is an intern at</em> Here &amp; Now. </p><div class="fullattribution">Copyright 2019 NPR. To see more, visit <a href="https://www.npr.org">https://www.npr.org</a>.<img src="https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&amp;utmdt=U.K.+Parliament+Votes+To+Delay+Vote+On+Johnson%27s+Breakthrough+Brexit+Plan&amp;utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxODcyMTgzMDEyMTgxMTY5NjYxN2I4OQ004)" /></div> </div>
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</div> <!-- /.easy_social_box -->Sun, 20 Oct 2019 00:45:00 +0000
Alexander Tuerk
150532 at https://www.wfdd.org
Alexander Tuerk
In compliance with the Letwin Amendment, approved 322 to 306 on Saturday, a reluctant Prime Minister Boris Johnson sent a letter to the EU requesting an extension to the Oct. 31 no-deal deadline.NoNews, World, Politics, Europe, Boris Johnson, Brexit, No-deal brexitEven With A New Agreement, Brexit Is Not A Done Deal. Here's Whyhttps://www.wfdd.org/story/even-new-agreement-brexit-not-done-deal-heres-why
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Luxembourg&#039;s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel (from left), U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the European Commission&#039;s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, at the start of an EU summit on Thursday in Brussels. EU and British negotiators came to an agr </div>
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<p>The European Union and the United Kingdom reached a new Brexit agreement on Thursday, and while it appeared to mark a big breakthrough in the years-long process, the saga doesn't end here.</p><p>The withdrawal deal still needs approval in both the U.K. and European parliaments. Although EU leaders unanimously endorsed it in Brussels on Thursday, it faces stiff opposition in Britain's Parliament, which has voted down three previous Brexit deals.</p><p>The U.K. is scheduled to leave the EU on Oct. 31.</p><p>Here are some of the sticking points in the latest withdrawal deal and what could happen next.</p><p><strong>What are some details of the agreement?</strong></p><p>After Britain leaves the EU, Northern Ireland would still legally be inside the U.K.'s customs area, but it would begin collecting duties for the EU on products arriving from Great Britain that could eventually be destined for Ireland. That arrangement prevents the need for a customs border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland. But it effectively creates one in the Irish Sea, which opponents of the deal say amounts to a separation of Northern Ireland from the rest of the U.K.</p><p>The Northern Ireland Assembly — which hasn't met in more than two years — would vote every four years on whether to continue this arrangement.</p><p><strong>So is Brexit a done deal? </strong></p><p>No, the deal has to be ratified by the British Parliament on Saturday. The opposition Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats and the Scottish National Party are expected to reject it. Prime Minister Boris Johnson can count on the support of his Conservative Party, but it doesn't have a majority in Parliament. It has relied on the 10 votes of the Democratic Unionist Party of Northern Ireland. That group is opposed to the new Brexit deal. "The proposals are not ... beneficial to the economic well-being of Northern Ireland and they undermine the integrity of the Union" of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/United-Kingdom">United Kingdom</a> of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, <a href="https://twitter.com/duponline/status/1184823399438323712">the DUP said in a statement</a>. Johnson was "too eager by far to get a deal at any cost," Nigel Dodds, the DUP's deputy leader, <a href="https://www.itv.com/news/2019-10-17/we-ve-got-a-great-new-deal-boris-johnson-and-jean-claude-juncker-agree-on-brexit/">told reporters</a>.</p><p><strong>What is the Democratic Unionist Party's problem with the deal?</strong></p><p>The DUP is worried that if Northern Ireland is linked with Ireland on EU trade, customs and even some regulations, that could drive a wedge between Northern Ireland and the rest of the U.K. The party is adamant that Northern Ireland should remain part of the U.K. and never join the Irish Republic to its south.</p><p><strong>Why is avoiding a customs border on the island of Ireland so important? </strong></p><p>Both Ireland and the U.K. are members of the EU, and the border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic is open and seamless. It is no longer the symbol of division and violence it once was during the conflict between Protestants and Catholics in the last century. Customs checks along the Irish border would emphasize the partition of the island, and there are fears that the goodwill developed since the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement would be lost and that there could even be violent attacks on customs posts.</p><p><strong>Has the fear of Britain leaving the EU without a deal now receded?</strong></p><p>A no-deal Brexit now seems much less likely. There is considerable political will to get this deal approved. If it fails in Parliament, Johnson is required to seek another extension from Brussels to enable more negotiations. Yet British government ministers and EU politicians say they hope the deal will pass and there will be no need for a further delay beyond Oct. 31.</p><p><strong>What's next?</strong></p><p>All eyes will turn to the British Parliament on Saturday to see whether Johnson can push this deal through. People will march through the streets of London to call for a second referendum to give voters a "final say" on Johnson's withdrawal agreement, with an option to stay in the EU. If British lawmakers approve Johnson's deal, the U.K. will legally leave the EU at the end of this month, but it will enter a transition period in which all the current rules remain the same to avoid disruption as the U.K. and EU negotiate a new relationship. The transition period would run to the end of December 2020. </p><div class="fullattribution">Copyright 2019 NPR. To see more, visit <a href="https://www.npr.org">https://www.npr.org</a>.<img src="https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&amp;utmdt=Even+With+A+New+Agreement%2C+Brexit+Is+Not+A+Done+Deal.+Here%27s+Why&amp;utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxODcyMTgzMDEyMTgxMTY5NjYxN2I4OQ004)" /></div> </div>
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</div> <!-- /.easy_social_box -->Fri, 18 Oct 2019 00:11:00 +0000
Frank Langfitt
150430 at https://www.wfdd.org
Frank Langfitt
It looks like a big breakthrough in Britain's long process to leave the European Union, but the saga doesn't end here.NoNews, World, Europe, EU, United Kingdom, U.K., European Union, Britain, Northern Ireland, Boris Johnson, Brexit, Brexit deal, British politicsBritain's Boris Johnson Hails New Brexit Deal With EU As Deadline Loomshttps://www.wfdd.org/story/britains-boris-johnson-hails-new-brexit-deal-eu-deadline-looms
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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Thursday that he&#039;d forged a new Brexit agreement with the European Union. </div>
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<p><strong>Updated at 9 a.m. ET</strong></p><p>British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he has reached an agreement with the European Union on a new Brexit deal that would allow the EU to continue collecting value-added tax from Northern Ireland and allow special treatment for certain goods going over the Irish border.</p><p>Johnson hailed the "new deal that takes back control," and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker called it a "fair and balanced agreement."</p><p>With the deal in hand, Juncker said, "there is no need for any kind of prolongation" — referring to the potential for delays or postponements that had been raised after the two sides failed to make headway in recent weeks.</p><p>Johnson's government faces an Oct. 31 deadline for Brexit. If an agreement isn't in place by then, Johnson would be forced to ask the EU for an extension to avoid the economic perils that a "no-deal" Brexit could bring.</p><p>Johnson and Juncker held a cordial news conference about the deal Thursday — but its reception among Johnson's critics in the U.K. was less warm. And their responses could foreshadow the slim chances of the agreement making its way through Parliament. Johnson's Conservative Party does not have a majority in the House of Commons. </p><p>"From what we know, it seems the prime minister has negotiated an even worse deal than Theresa May's, which was overwhelmingly rejected," said Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the opposition Labour Party, referring to Johnson's predecessor as prime minister.</p><p>"This sell-out deal won't bring the country together and should be rejected," Corbyn said.</p><p>Meanwhile, Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, which has argued against any "special status" for the province, quickly responded to news of a deal, saying it could not support the proposed agreement "as things stand."</p><p>"[We] could not support what is being suggested on customs and consent issues and there is a lack of clarity on VAT," the party's leader, Arlene Foster and deputy leader, Nigel Dodds, said in a statement, referring to the value-added tax.</p><p>"We will continue to work with the government to try and get a sensible deal that works for Northern Ireland and protects the economic and constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom," Foster and Dodds said.</p><p>"Now is the moment for us to get Brexit done," Johnson said at the news conference with Juncker. He added that the next task — other than securing passage of the deal in Parliament — would be for the U.K. and EU to work out their future relationship.</p><p>"We are a quintessential European country, solid European friends, neighbors and supporters," Johnson said.</p><p>After Johnson ended his remarks on that note, Juncker concluded the briefing by saying, "I have to say that I'm happy about the deal, but I'm sad about Brexit." </p><div class="fullattribution">Copyright 2019 NPR. To see more, visit <a href="https://www.npr.org">https://www.npr.org</a>.<img src="https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&amp;utmdt=Britain%27s+Boris+Johnson+Hails+New+Brexit+Deal+With+EU+As+Deadline+Looms&amp;utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxODcyMTgzMDEyMTgxMTY5NjYxN2I4OQ004)" /></div> </div>
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</div> <!-- /.easy_social_box -->Thu, 17 Oct 2019 16:41:00 +0000
Scott Neuman
150371 at https://www.wfdd.org
Scott Neuman
The prime minister said that he'd forged a new agreement that would allow the European Union to keep collecting value-added tax from Northern Ireland and allow special treatment for some Irish goods.NoNews, World, Europe, United Kingdom, European Union, Britain, Boris Johnson, Brexit, European politics, British politicsBoris Johnson Trades Challenges With Lawmakers In Raucous Return To Parliamenthttps://www.wfdd.org/story/boris-johnson-trades-challenges-lawmakers-raucous-return-parliament
<img typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" src="https://wfdd-live.s3.amazonaws.com/styles/story-full/s3/images/story/Boris-Johnson-Trades-Challenges-With-Lawmakers-In-Raucous-Return-To-Parliament-764169389-1569447030.jpg?itok=6HNM8gRX" width="800" height="450" alt="Parliament reconvened at the Palace of Westminster on Wednesday after the U.K. Supreme Court ruled its suspension by Prime Minister Boris Johnson &quot;unlawful.&quot;" title="Parliament reconvened at the Palace of Westminster on Wednesday after the U.K. Supreme Court ruled its suspension by Prime Minister Boris Johnson &quot;unlawful.&quot;" /><figcaption class="figure-caption">
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Parliament reconvened at the Palace of Westminster on Wednesday after the U.K. Supreme Court ruled its suspension by Prime Minister Boris Johnson &quot;unlawful.&quot; </div>
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Hollie Adams / Getty Images </cite>
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<p><strong>Updated 3:35 p.m. ET</strong></p><p>Just one day after the British Supreme Court dealt the country's prime minister a devastating blow, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/09/24/763687020/uk-supreme-court-rules-johnsons-suspension-of-parliament-was-unlawful">ruling that</a> Boris Johnson's suspension of Parliament was "unlawful, void and of no effect and should be quashed," Johnson challenged the U.K.'s newly reconvened lawmaking body to try to take him down. </p><p>Above the jeers and cheers of a raucous audience of lawmakers on Wednesday, the prime minister made clear his disapproval of the ruling.</p><p>"It is absolutely no disrespect to the judiciary to say I think the court was wrong to pronounce on what is essentially a political question at a time of great national controversy," said Johnson, who cut short his visit to the United Nations General Assembly to address Parliament.</p><p>And the Conservative leader dared Jeremy Corbyn, head of the opposition Labour Party, threw down a gauntlet.</p><p>"Is he actually going to vote no confidence in this government? Is he going to dodge a vote of no confidence in me as prime minister in order to escape the verdict of the voters?" Johnson asked, referring to Corbyn. He said opposition parties had until the end of Wednesday's session to put forward a motion of no confidence in order to schedule a vote for tomorrow. </p><p>Thus far, Corbyn has been <a href="https://twitter.com/tnewtondunn/status/1176937569084497920">wary of doing so</a>, demanding the guarantee of another delay to Brexit before agreeing to such a move.</p><p>The cacophonous proceedings in the the Houses of Parliament unfolded Wednesday in the shadow of a fast-approaching Brexit deadline. Johnson has pledged to leave the European Union at the end of next month, though members of Parliament passed legislation <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/09/06/758283145/britains-house-of-lords-approves-bill-blocking-no-deal-brexit">earlier this month</a> — shortly before Johnson suspended the legislature — that barred the possibility of leaving the bloc without first agreeing to the terms of the divorce.</p><p>The measure forces the prime minister to request an extension from the EU if such a deal is not reached by Oct. 19. Johnson has signaled reluctance to comply, saying he would rather be <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/09/10/759285001/u-k-parliament-recesses-as-boris-johnson-reels-from-string-of-defeats">"dead in a ditch"</a> than delay Brexit again.</p><p>Speaking directly after Johnson's address, Corbyn ignored the prime minister's challenge and instead renewed a call for his resignation. </p><p>"Quite simply, for the good of this country, he should go. He says he wants a general election," Corbyn said, referring to Johnson's two failed attempts earlier this month to persuade Parliament to call snap elections. "I want a general election. It's simple: If he wants an election, get an extension and let's have an election."</p><p>Wednesday's session remained largely focused on yesterday's Supreme Court decision. Johnson had sought to suspend Parliament for five weeks to buy himself more time to shape his Brexit agenda, intending to bring a plan to lawmakers when they returned to work in mid-October. But in blocking the move on Tuesday, the high court said the suspension "was unlawful because it had the effect of frustrating or preventing the ability of Parliament to carry out its constitutional functions without reasonable justification."</p><p>Ian Blackford, leader of the Scottish National Party, came on forcefully with a critique of the prime minister's conduct — and a <a href="https://twitter.com/IanBlackfordMP/status/1176931719615852545">call of his own</a> for Johnson's resignation. </p><p>"He cannot pick and choose when it comes to the law. He must obey the law. That is not leadership. He quite simply is not fit for office," Blackford said, adding: "The Prime Minister's position is no longer tenable. His failure to resign is an embarrassment."</p><p>Earlier in the day Wednesday, Johnson's allies heralded the prime minister's aggressive tack in their own approach to parliamentary discussions.</p><p>"Parliament has to determine the terms on which we leave, but this Parliament has declined three times to pass a withdrawal act with which the opposition, in relation to the withdrawal act, had absolutely no objection," said Attorney General Geoffrey Cox, to a churn of boos and jeers.</p><p>He also noted <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/09/04/757587543/brexit-parliament-members-vote-to-block-johnsons-no-deal-exit">Parliament's rejection</a> of Johnson's call for snap elections.</p><p>"We have a wide number of this house setting its face against leaving at all, and when the government draws the only logical inference from that position — which is that it must leave therefore without any deal — it still sets its face, denying the electorate the chance of having its say in how this matter should be resolved," Cox added. "This Parliament is a dead Parliament. It should no longer sit. It has no moral right to sit on these green benches."</p><p>As for what they plan to do next, Johnson's allies carefully watched their words in front of lawmakers. Martin Callanan, the minister of state for exiting the EU, said "the government will of course abide by the law" when it comes to requesting a delay if things come to that. But when pressed about <a href="https://twitter.com/Peston/status/1176829353004535808">a report</a> that Johnson may send a second letter to the EU, along with the delay request, that would seek to dissuade the bloc from granting another delay, Callanan said, "We write all sorts of letters to all sorts of people, all of the time."</p><p>"I'm sure letter writing will continue even in [the event of] no deal," he said. "And I can go no further that to repeat what I've said, which is, of course, we are a law-abiding government." </p><div class="fullattribution">Copyright 2019 NPR. To see more, visit <a href="https://www.npr.org">https://www.npr.org</a>.<img src="https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&amp;utmdt=Boris+Johnson+Trades+Challenges+With+Lawmakers+In+Raucous+Return+To+Parliament&amp;utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxODcyMTgzMDEyMTgxMTY5NjYxN2I4OQ004)" /></div> </div>
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</div> <!-- /.easy_social_box -->Wed, 25 Sep 2019 21:16:00 +0000
Colin Dwyer
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Colin Dwyer
After the Supreme Court ruled against the prime minister, Johnson dared critics to call a no-confidence vote. The opposition countered with an election offer, so long as a Brexit delay is guaranteed.NoNews, World, Europe, U.K., British Parliament, Boris Johnson, Brexit